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Best Free Summer Concert Series

Levitt Pavilion

Joel Rekiel

Situated on the gentle slopes of Ruby Hill Park, Levitt Pavilion has captured the hearts of live-music lovers since it opened in 2017. And the nonprofit returns that love tenfold each year with its free summer concert series, which offers around fifty concerts where you can kick back and relax on a lawn chair without worrying about how much you have left to spend on booze or food. This year's series includes shows from the likes of Buffalo Nichols, Chali 2na and Cut Chemist; the venue has ticketed shows as well, with this year's lineup including the Beach Boys, slowdive and more. The free shows aren't the only way Levitt gives back: In 2020 the venue created its Bodies of Culture board, which just launched a mentorship program for young BIPOC musicians.

Best Ticketed Summer Concert Series

Denver Botanic Gardens

Brandon Marshall

Denver Botanic Gardens has been hosting its annual outdoor summer concert series, now produced in partnership with Swallow Hill Music, since 1980. The series includes ten concerts from June through August and showcases both local and national acts in an array of genres — all surrounded by the romantic beauty of the well-tended gardens. This summer will see shows from Graham Nash, DeVotchKa, Trombone Shorty, Emmylou Harris and more. The DBG also hosts Evenings Al Fresco in the summer, intimate music experiences that take place around the 24-acre grounds.

Best Music School Nonprofit

Swallow Hill Music

Swallow Hill Music

The next generation of Denver musicians is in good hands with Swallow Hill Music, where students can study classical, folk, jazz, pop, bluegrass, rock and more with professional local musicians. But the nonprofit also makes its mark on the city's music scene by producing a number of concert series at such venues as the Botanic Gardens, the Butterfly Pavilion, Four Mile Historic Park and the Clyfford Still Museum. Swallow Hill hosts its own concerts, too, where you can hear everything from world music to folk from musicians from around the globe.

Best Park for Free Live Music

City Park

Since 1986, City Park Jazz has produced ten concerts every summer, and catching a show here is a Denver tradition. The free series, which begins the first weekend of June, features some of the best local musicians in the city as well as touring artists, all playing jazz, blues, salsa and more at the park's iconic pavilion on Sundays from 6 to 8 p.m. This year's lineup includes the legendary Hazel Miller & the Collective, Roka Hueka, Mistura Fina, Jakarta and more. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs and some snacks and cocktails for the perfect summer evening.

cityparkjazz.org

Best Neighborhood Concert Series

Riverfront Park Summer Sessions

On the third Thursday in June, July and August, music lovers can head to Commons Park for a free concert hosted by the Riverfront Park Neighborhood. Along with great music, there are always food and drink vendors on site, so it's easy to make an evening of it. This year's lineup hasn't been announced yet, but last year the shows included national indie names like Jaguar Sun along with local artists such as Grace DeVine. Bring blankets and lawn chairs, and get ready for a relaxing summer evening of live music.

twoparts.com/work/summersessions

Best Neighborhood Music Festival

Five Points Jazz Festival

Five Points was once known as the "Harlem of the West," and that history is celebrated each year at the Five Points Jazz Festival. The blast of brass is hard to miss when a New Orleans-style parade kicks off the festivities on Welton Street, which becomes home to several stages that welcome jazz acts from near and far. The free Arts & Venues-run festival rang in its twentieth anniversary in 2023, with forty artists playing on the outdoor stages as well as inside such Five Points staples as the Roxy, Cervantes', Brother Jeff's and the Marigold. Here's to twenty more years!

Best Event Name

Domingueando

Raíces Brewing Company

Ay, domingueando...even the word itself sounds like an invitation to chill. Domingo is "Sunday" in Spanish, and domingueando generally translates to spending a Sunday afternoon in a pleasant way. In Denver, that means heading to Raíces Brewing for Domingueando, two hours of live Latin-based music in the laid-back confines of the inviting taproom, where you can also enjoy cold craft beer, snacks from local small businesses, and the latest soccer match playing on a flat-screen. As its tagline notes, Raíces, a Latin-owned brewpub on the banks of the Platte River, is all about embracing community and sharing culture. We can't think of a better way to end the weekend — or a better way to describe it — than Domingueando at Raíces.

Best Concert Video Series

Sounds on 29th

Sounds on 29th, hosted by Flobots co-founder and Colorado Music Ambassador Stephen Brackett, is back for its eleventh season with PBS12, releasing stellar concert videos showcasing the best of local acts. But our favorite aspect of this season is that the show has moved out of its Five Points studio to stage bands at the city's most beloved music halls and dives. Our favorite concerts in the series took bands back to the storied venue El Chapultepec, with both the Crooked Rugs and the Mañanas rocking the house.

pbs.org/show/sounds-29th

Best New Music Radio Hosts

Saxton & Dirt, Locals Only

Meet the newest duo to take over this weekly series dedicated to Denver music, a pair of industry veterans with ears trained to the local sound. One peek at their résumés confirms an innate ability to tune into the rising tide of Mile High musicians. Chad Saxton has a long history as a sound engineer and DIY supporter in Denver, while David "Dirt" Rosenblat has held numerous roles in the industry as well (whether he was running the venue or playing in the band). The pair's fingers are permanently fixed on the pulse of local music, keeping them informed about what Colorado listeners want to hear next. Catch them on Sundays at 9 p.m. on KTCL Channel 93.

ktcl.iheart.com

Best Music Festival for Local Bands

Underground Music Showcase

The UMS has been a beacon for bands in the metro area since its inception in 2001. Taking over a strip of Broadway, the multi-day festival brings together the best in both local music and up-and-coming national acts, at favorite venues such as the hi-dive, HQ, the Roxy and the Skylark Lounge, as well as the festival's own outdoor stages, all at an affordable price. This is where you can say you saw a band before it got big, and who doesn't love having a little bit of that indie clout?

undergroundmusicshowcase.com

Best Of Denver®

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